


Birdy

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Falling In Love, Feels, Guardian Angels, Love Confessions, M/M, Past Child Abuse, School Shootings, Tissue Warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-08-11 17:49:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7902043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being killed during a sit-in Keith Kogane is assigned to be a guardian angel for Lance McClain, but not without a few rules. What will happen when Keith breaks the biggest one— do not fall in love with your assignment!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

 

    2017. Gun violence in schools was at an all time high. Protests for change were happening all across America.

    On May Forth a protest was held at Ohio State University, a sit in all across the lawn. It was quiet. Peaceful. No one attended their classes. Even some of the teachers were protesting.

    Keith Kogane. A Japanese-American student, he grew up in New York and moved to Ohio to go to school for veterinary. He sat silently at the protest, studying for one of his classes.

    Breaking the silence of the protest gunshots rang in his ears. Immediately people were up and running. Not everyone though. Keith didn't move. He closed his book and looked up through the commotion. He was here to prove a point. And if he had to die for change then so be it. People ran around him and someone even jumped over him. A girl was shot right in front of him, he saw her crumble to the ground. He covered his mouth as he watched.

    The stampede of people made it passed him. Keith was confused for a moment. There wasn't shooting but there wasn't any police or anything. His confusion ended when the shooter was right in front of him. He put his hands behind his head slowly.

    “I'm sorry.” Keith whispered. Without a second thought the man shot him in the forehead.

 

    Keith opened his eyes to find himself in a meadow. He slowly stood and wrapped his arms around him. He walked until he found a gazebo where a small girl sat.

    “Do you know where I am?” He asked softly.

    “Heaven.” She said calmly. “I'm very sorry, dear.” She looked up to him then.

    “What do you mean? I-I just— Heaven isn't real—”

    “That's where you are.” She smiled. This girl was no older than twelve. Hesitantly Keith sat beside her.

    “Who are you?” He asked then.

    “I'm God.” She grinned. “Well. That's not my name but that's what most people call me.”

    Keith just blinked. _“You_ are God?”

    “I am. I look different depending on your mental state. So to you a little girl makes most sense.”

    “A dog probably would've made the most sense.” He said softly.

    “I can't talk to you if I'm a dog.” She grinned up to him. “I want you to be a guardian angel for me.”

    “What? Why?”

    “You have the perfect personality for it. You have the need to help people and animals. You know what's right and you stood for what you believed in, right until your last second.”

    “W-What would I be doing?” He asked softly, toying with his gloves as they spoke.

    “I'll assign you to someone and you'll have to protect them and encourage them to make good decisions. You'll live with them for a while until I deem them good enough to be without you. There's a few rules but I'm sure you'll be fine.”

    “What rules?”

    “You can not date your assignment, you can't let anyone know you're an angel other than your assignment, and you have to do your job.”

    “I can do that.” He murmured.

    “Come with me. I'll give you your assignment and take care of those wings.”

    He looked over his shoulder. Huge black wings had sprouted from his shoulder blades. His jaw dropped. The little girl got up and took his hand, dragging him through the flowers of the meadow.

 

    After a bit they came upon a small office building, she let go of his hand and climbed on top of her desk. She handed him a small file.

    “His name is Lance McClain. He's from Cuba and is about to move to Florida for school. You can read his file while I take your wings off.”

    “W-Will it hurt?”

    “No. It won't. You're going to Earth, not Hell. Come with me.” She said before hopping down and taking his hand once again to take him down the hall.

    She sat him down and began to take off his wings while Keith read. He didn't even feel her touching the wings because they were so new.

    Lance McClain. Nineteen years old. Florida University college student majoring in English. Adopted into a large family. Came from several abusive homes before it. Mother was a drug addict and was now dead, in Hell presumably. Extremely smart but kind of a slacker.

    “All done.” She smiled. “Now. Not everyone will be able to see you on Earth but many will. Please be cautious about who you speak to.”

    “I will.” He said softly and closed the file.

    “You sure you're ready?”

    “No.” He said softly. “But if I have to I will.”

    “Don't worry, dear. You'll be back soon.”

    And just like that Keith was sent to Earth. It had been a week since the shooting apparently.

    Keith was in Lance’s apartment, it was three AM and Lance was out cold on the couch. Slowly he wandered around the flat, looking at pictures and the clock. He checked the date on Lance's phone. A week exactly. He walked into every room before taking a seat in the arm chair by the couch. He closed his eyes to relax, slowly slipping asleep.

    He didn't wake until the next morning when Lance hit him with a pillow.

    With a groan he rubbed his eyes and sat up.

    “Who the hell are you?” Lance shouted.

    Keith yawned and stood, Lance went to hit him again when Keith grabbed the pillow and tossed it aside. “I'm Keith.” He said calmly. “And I'm here to be your guardian angel or whatever.”

    “That's not a real thing.” Lance huffed. “How did you get in my house?”

    “I was sent here.” He yawned again. “I really am an angel. Or dead at the least. I can prove that to you.”

    “How?” The Cuban asked defensively.

    “Look up ‘OSU shooting victims’.” Keith mumbled and sat back down.

    Lance edged toward his phone and looked it up.

    “My name is Keith Kogane. I was eighteen.”

    Lance scrolled for a bit on the page that listed everyone who had been killed before he came across a picture of Keith, a picture of him and a girl who's face had been blurred out. The caption was ‘Keith Kogane, 18, shot to the frontal lobe’.

    Lance looked from the picture to Keith.

    “So you're an angel? Or a ghost?”

    “I don't know the difference.” Keith said softly.

    “Ghosts haunt and scare you, Angels protect you and shit.”

    “Angel. I'm supposed to protect you and help you make good decisions.”

    “Well, um, I'm Lance.”

    “I know.”

    “Oh. Okay then.” Lance paused awkwardly. “What now?”

    “What would you normally do?”

    “Normally I don't have an angel following me. Am I supposed to feed you?”

    “I don't think I have to eat anymore. And I'm not a pet.”

    “Well am I supposed to take care of you at all?”

    “Not really. I'm supposed to live with you, but that's all.”

    “Alright. Well, I'm going to take a shower and then I'm going to head out for the day…” Lance set his phone down and went to the bathroom of the flat. Once the door shut Keith grabbed his phone and looked through the other victims. He knew a lot of them.

    “What're you doing?” Lance suddenly asked.

    Keith jumped and set down his phone. “I'm sorry. I-I was looking at the other people who died.”

    He paused before speaking again. “Did you know a lot of them?”

    “Yes.”

    “They killed him. The shooter, I mean.”

    “Who killed him?”

    “The police. A teacher tackled him and they shot him.”

    “Oh.” Keith mumbled.

    “Do you remember dying?”

    “No. I think I died instantly. He shot me in the forehead.”

    “Did you see his face? Like, do you remember him?”

    “Yes. I told him I was sorry.”

    “Why were you sorry?”

    “I'm sorry that someone treated him so poorly that he thought that killing people was an okay thing to do.”

    “You think he was treated badly?”

    “I know he was.”


	2. Chapter 2

“So… ” Lance said softly as the two walked through the “downtown” of the local area. “What were you studying?”

“Veterinary. I was considering my major for a bit, it’s really hard.” Was really hard. Was. 

“Oh. That’s awesome though. I heard OSU’s vet program is hard to get into.”

“It was. Very.”

“I’m going to major in English, but I’m not sure if I’m going to care for it all that much. I might switch.”

“What to?” Keith asked, glancing to see if anyone was watching them. Some people seemed to see him, others didn’t. Younger kids saw him, dogs did, a few older people, and a few people he was fairly sure that they, too, were angels. Or, at least dead. 

“Aeronautical engineering, or maybe creative writing.” Lance said softly, playing with something in his pocket as they walked. “Do you know why they sent you? Is something bad going to happen to me?” He asked suddenly, looking over to Keith.

“I-I don't think there was really a specific reason, but I know I'm supposed to protect you.”

“From what?”

“Just in general.” He gave a slight grin.

Lance smiled back then. “Okay.” 

 

After a bit Keith spoke again. “So. Where are we going?” 

“My family asked me to get them some things so I'm going to get them today while I still remember, so we’re going to Downtown Disney, or whatever it's called now.”

“Downtown Disney. Okay.” Keith said and looked around as they walked.

“What's wrong?” Lance asked, Keith looked up at him then.

“Nothing. I just have never really been in a big city before. I mean, Newark was kind of big— but not really. I've never seen so many people that weren't in a class or something.”

“Where did you grow up?” 

“I grew up in Hebron, a village in Ohio, but I moved there when I was little. My dad was from Japan, my mom was from Hebron. We moved there to be closer to her family. I was six when we moved there.” Wait. Why was he telling him all this? He was just so easy to talk to. And he had never really met this kid before. It was weird, but welcoming.

“Maybe I'll check it out sometime.” Lance chuckled.

“Really?” Keith raised a brow. “There's nothing really to do there. They just got a Dollar General last year, there's two Ma-And-Pa restaurants there. That's it really. People go to the grocery store to hang out.”

“That sounds a little boring but I've never been anywhere boring or quiet. It might be a nice change.”

“Your apartment doesn't seem loud.”

“I bet once school starts it'll be loud. Lots of the other people I go to school with live there.”

“Do you think they'll have parties a lot?”

“Maybe. I heard Florida is kinda wild.”

“I heard that too, but I don't know how true it is.”

“My mom was really scared for me to move here after last year.”

“The Pulse shooting?”

“Yeah. I'm pansexual and she's really scared I'm going to go to Pride or a club and get killed, but I told her I'm not really into that. I'll barely have time for sleeping when school starts, let alone clubbing.”

“Pansexual. I love that term. It scares people who don't know what it means.”

Lance laughed. “Yeah. Once I told a kid I was pan and then asked him if I could take his skillet on a date.”

Keith laughed then, like— really laughed. Lance flushed darkly; no wonder this kid was an angel.

“That's so funny.” Keith smiled, he had stopped walking because he was laughing so much. The other boy couldn't stop grinning either. Keith was beautiful. You know in the movies where the protagonist has that moment where they realize this person— this one person is  _ the  _ person they have been waiting for. Where everything just seems to fit for one second; maybe the first second of their lives. Lance was having this moment.

This angel was who he was waiting for. This kid who was  _ dead.  _ God. That's just his luck, isn't it? His soulmate was fucking dead.

  
  


Once the boys had gathered themselves and got a cab, the cabbie couldn't see Keith, they went to Downtown Disney. Lance paid their fare and they both slid out. Keith stayed close behind as they went, the sidewalk wasn't wide at all and people were walking both ways.

“Are you okay?” Lance asked quietly as they reached the entrance. Keith nodded, looking up to the Cirque du Soleil tent. Lance looked up then too. “Wow.” 

“I've never seen the circus before.” Keith said softly. “I didn't expect it to be so big.”

“Well this is like the most famous one in the world, it's not surprising how big it is.” 

“Oh.” He murmured. “Have you ever seen a circus before?”

“Yeah, have you?”

“Never.”

“It's really interesting.” Lance grinned. “Everything is big, or tiny. There's no in between. These gymnast girls were as tall as I was, and I was really little. And then they had elephants bigger than anything I had ever seen in my whole life. I've still never seen anything bigger that was alive. And they had this act where they turned stuffed animals into real dogs.” 

“No way.” Keith whispered. He was in complete awe. “That's amazing.”

“Maybe we can go later.” Lance smiled and pulled him along. Keith kept getting sidetracked by all the new things that they didn't have at home. Lance eventually took his hand and laced their fingers so he could just pull him along as needed.

First they went and bought tea for his sister in law, sister, and mom. They had leaves in a tiny store that smelled like old British women. Then they went in Basin, a soap store. He got his sister the soap she had asked for and a few bath bombs. Then they went to the Lego Store and watched the kids race their cars in the back. Keith smiled for a moment as he watched before starting to shake, near tears. Lance looked up when Keith pulled back his hand to rub his cheeks.

“What's wrong?” He asked softly.

“I'll never get kids.” He whispered. “I never realized I wanted kids before.”

Lance took his hand again and walked them to a bench for them to sit at. So they could relax. It had been a long day already. 

“You are here to do a job, and once it's done you'll get to go back to Heaven. Where you can have anything you want. You'll get kids if you want them.” Lance assured. 

Keith then had his moment. His  _ He's The One  _ moment. And it broke his heart.


	3. Chapter 3

“I don’t want to go back.” Keith whispered, his lavender gaze fell to their feet. Lance gently took his hand in his, lacing their fingers.

“Why not?” He murmured.

“I just… I don’t want it that way.” He sighed and looked down to their hands, his face turned a soft pink all over. “I want to meet them and have kids a-and grow old and gross together.”

“You can’t have that in Heaven?” Lance asked, he gently rubbed his thumb over his knuckles to keep him calm.

“Not like I want.” Wanted. 

“Maybe you can get it as an angel.” He suggested with a slight shrug.

“I doubt it. I won’t age. I don’t think I can have kids with anyone in this form. I can’t finish college. There’s a lot I haven’t done and never will get to.”

“What else haven’t you done that you’d like to?” Lance grinned, he was going to do as much as they could to make sure Keith got to live a more full life; even if he wasn’t alive.

“I-I’ve never drank or tried pot or had sex or even said ‘I love you’ to someone. I didn’t finish school. I didn’t… I didn’t call my mom enough.” He could feel his heart pounding in his throat. He felt like he was going to vomit. Can angels vomit? Probably. “I wasn’t nice enough to my dormmate. I wasn’t… I was a bad person. Why am I an angel?” 

He was  _ far  _ from a bad person. Sure, maybe he didn’t call his mom every weekend, but he did most. Sure, he didn’t tell his roommate to have nice day enough. Maybe he wasn’t always nice, but… He was a good kid. He was. Keith was a feminist who actually worked for equality. He started petitions and protests. He was a part of Black Lives Matter. He called his mom on Saturdays when he could just to see how she was doing. He told his roommate to have good day and he listened to her problems.  _ He was a good kid.  _

“You don’t seem like a bad person to me.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Then let me.”

  
  


“You’re not old enough to drink, I’m not either—”

“And? You’re dead and I brought it from home.” Lance chuckled, he and Keith still held hands as they walked down the boardwalk. They were finishing their shopping and then going home to drink. That was the first one that Lance had decided that they were going to do together. Lance, of course, had already drank before.

“How old even are you?” Keith asked as they went to check out from whatever shop they were now, Keith didn’t pay attention to whatever it was. 

“I’ll be nineteen next month.” Lance smiled, giving the woman checking him out his card once she was ready for it. 

Keith nodded and glanced around as Lance chatted with her for a moment, he then squinted. There was a man in here who had been in all the same shops as them at the same times. He noticed him when they were at the bench too. It was probably just a coincidence, I mean— there wasn’t very many stores in this part of the strip. The man looked up to Keith then right back down to the thing he was looking at in his hands.

“Lance,” Keith said softly and took his wrist. “Let’s go.”

“Alright.” He said without question. The woman told them to have a nice day, Lance took his bags and let Keith hold his wrist as they walked. “Everything okay?” 

“I don’t know but, I rather be safe than sorry.” 

“Oh. What do you think is wrong?”

“I think someone is following you.” Keith whispered as he picked up the pace. Lance swallowed and nodded silently, keeping up with ease. They scurried down the boardwalk and called for a cab. They sat on the curb together and waited. Keith kept an eye for the man he thought was watching him. He didn’t see him at this point.

As soon as the cab pulled up Keith immediately began to put the bags in the back seat, opening the passenger seat door for Lance. Once he was in Keith got in and shut the door. The man was walking to his car now. He watched him as Lance gave the driver his address. 

The man followed them the entire way, and not very secretively either. He rode the cabbie’s ass the entire way until they got closer to the apartments. He drove further behind them, parking down the road. 

“Lance,” Keith said as they got closer to home. “Go inside. I’ll get the bags.” He said as he began to gather them quickly on his arms. 

“Are you sure?”

“I got them!” Keith rushed out. “Please.” 

Lance nodded and paid their fare before getting out, he then opened the door for Keith. He gently pushed Lance in before him, setting the bags on the landing before shutting the door. He stumbled over to the window and stood on his toes to see the man in the grey car. 

“Are you okay?” Lance asked then. 

“He followed us here.” He said without hesitation. “I don’t want you going outside alone.” He said, locking the window and locking the door. 

“O-Oh. Alright.” He said and went behind Keith, his arms going around him and seemingly unlocking the lock.

“What’re you doing?” Keith whispered. 

“Fixing the lock.” He murmured next to his ear. “It’s broke, so locked is unlocked.”

Lavender hues looked up to the taller man, Lance returned the gaze. 

“When you were alive,” Lance began and cupped his cheek so he could better face him. “Did you have a girlfriend? Or even a boyfriend?” 

“No. Not when I died. Do you have either?”

“No. Not currently.” He whispered, he slowly leaned closer to him.

“I can’t.” Keith squeaked and took a step back. “I want to. I mean, I  _ really  _ want to; but I can’t.”

“Why can’t you?” He asked, stepping closer again.

“It’s a rule. I can’t date my assignment.”

“Then don’t date me.” 

“I don’t understand.”

“Just kiss me. We don’t have to date. We can just be really, really, close friends.” He gave a soft smile.

“I’ve also never kissed a boy.” He whispered. 

“You like boys, right?” 

“Very much so.”

“I’m glad.” 

Lance, then, leaned down to press their lips together just as there was a knock on the door. He paused and looked up, then back to Keith. “Should I get it?” 

Reluctantly Keith nodded, taking his hand in his. 

With a small sigh the Cuban stepped back and opened the door. The man who had followed them home stood there, his eyes were soft. His expression, however, seemed full of regret.

“Are you Lance McClain?” The man asked feebly. His eyes were the same baby blue Lance’s were in the morning.

“Yes. Who are you?” 

“I’m your dad.”

“No, my dad is home in Cuba.”

“I’m your birth father.” He said softly.

“Oh. In that case, fuck you. Fuck you and get off my step.”

 

Keith looked up to Lance then. What had this man done to him?


	4. Chapter 4

“W-What?” The man stammered. “But I’m finally getting to meet you.”

“I said go.” Lance shouted. “Get off my porch or I’ll call the cops.” 

Keith squeezed his hand, he squeezed it back. “Lance, should I make him go?” He whispered.

“He’ll leave on his own.” He growled lowly. 

He didn’t move. Not an inch.

“What do you want?” Lance was shaking, Keith could feel it. “D-Do you want money? Because I don’t have it. I don’t have room for you to stay. So get out. I don’t have anything for you, so go.”

“I-I just want to know my son.”

“You  _ had _ eighteen years to know me.” With that Lance slammed the door shut, he immediately turned to look at Keith. That look. He’d seen it a million times. The last bit of holding it all in before— Lance started to sob just as he was pulled down to Keith’s shoulder. He shook against him and grasped at his shirt, which Keith just now wondered where it came from. It was his favorite shirt from when he was living but it wasn’t what he was wearing when he died… 

He gently sat them both down on the couch, a kind hand rubbing his back. 

“What did he do to you?” Keith whispered after Lance seemed to calm down somewhat.

“So much.” He mumbled. “Um, when I was little my birth mom did drugs. Like, hardcore. And he was who got her into it, he got her addicted. She overdosed and died when I was six. My birth dad didn’t want me. Only after a year of him abusing me, I was maybe three years old and, he just left me in a hospital. I was p-put in four different homes.” Homes. Keith remembered that he was adopted. “The first I don’t remember much, it didn’t last long… The second was bad, they had like seven kids and were just doing it for the money.” 

They sat closer, more comfortably then. Keith had his head on the other’s chest as he listened to him. Hearing his heartbeat was relaxing; the soft sound of human life that he no longer had… 

“My third home was great.” He gently played with Keith’s hair as he spoke. “The moms were so sweet. They were going to adopt me but their licenses expired before they could, and then I was sent to Cuba to the family that adopted me. And I love my Madre and Padre with all my heart, but I really wish that the women before them would’ve gotten to…”

“They were that kind to you?” Keith whispered.

“Yes,” He said softly. He was surprised that Keith was actually listening. “Laura was very small, she had cancer as a teenager and never really gained her weight back. And she was very short. She couldn’t have kids, and that’s what she wanted more than anything. I was eight when I moved there. Um, and Catie… She was tall and built big. She tried to get pregnant several times and it just didn’t happen. So they got their foster licenses and their adoption ones. They adopted a baby who got ill and died. It wasn’t anything they could’ve prevented, it was something genetic… Then I moved in for a while and did my best to be good for them. My agent told me that they were really, really sad that they didn’t have any babies. So I tried to be good and not ask for a lot.”

“You’re a really good kid.” He smiled and nestled closer. 

“You think?” 

“Yeah. I do.”

“I’m sorry he interrupted us.”

“Don’t apologize. You didn’t know.”

Lance cupped his cheek and leaned down to kiss him softly. Immediately Keith could feel his cheeks flush; it was good to know he still had a little bit of personification.

He was slow to return the action, kissing him back sweetly.

Lance pulled back and looked down. “Sorry, I’m having all sorts of feelings right now.”

“It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  
  


Later that evening they went back out, Lance wanted to get used to the food that was in the area so they went out for pizza. They went to a place called  _ Flipper’s.   _ Keith found the name funny. The pizza was good, not the best; but still good. 

They stayed out until about ten before they went home in a cab. Lance planned to get a car soon. Lance went ahead inside while Keith got their leftovers and thanked the cab driver again before heading back up.

On the steps he was pulled aside by a man. Lance’s dad.

“Let go of me.” He said immediately. 

“I don’t know you,” The older man began. “And I have no right to ask this of you but—”

“Then don’t.”

“Please. I just want you to get him to  _ consider  _ talking to me.”

“No. I know what you did to him, so no. No thank you. Go home, have a good night.” He huffed before pulling away and stomping up the stairs.

He went in the apartment and locked the door behind him.

“You alright there slammy?” Lance chuckled, had he slammed the door? Oops.

“Your birth dad person was outside.” He sighed and moved to put the pizza in the fridge.

“You know what we need?” The Cuban smirked.

“What?”

“Shots.”


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn’t even five drinks before Keith was laughing over nothing, his voice slurred. Lance was drunk too, just not as much as him.

The two were slumped against each other on the couch, Keith had his head on Lance’s shoulder with soft giggles bubbling out of him.

“I love you.” Keith mumbled softly.

“You’re drunk.” Lance whispered.

“And you’re beautiful.” He giggled as Lance stroked his hair. “I forgot to remind you to get the thing.” He said suddenly and sat up.

“What?” The Cuban mused.

“I was supposed to remind you to grab the recycling bin.” Keith slurred and stood up. “I’ll go get it.” 

“Be careful.” Lance murmured and stood up to clean up their mess.

Keith went down the steps, shaky hands clinging to the railing. He went down to the trash room and looked for the bin that read  _ McClain  _ on the side. Once he had found it he held it to his chest and stumbled back to the door. All of sudden he was pushed against the side of the building. He dropped the bin and looked at the figure above him, Lance’s birth dad. Keith struggled against him but that only earned him being headbutted in the forehead. He hit his head on the brick wall behind him and gasped in pain. 

“Lance--!” He shouted before his mouth was grabbed by the older man.

“If you won’t make him come to me, I’ll make him come to you.” He growled before tossing Keith over his shoulder seemingly without any effort at all. 

“Lance!” He screamed again. Man. He must be the world’s worst guardian angel ever.

 

Just as Keith was tossed in the back of the car and had his hands forcibly duct taped together Lance came out to see what the hell was going on. He watched as his ‘dad’ got in the car and took off. Storming down his steps he got in his own car and followed after them. He could see, as he drove, Keith struggling to move and yelling in the back of the car. He had no idea what the hell he could be yelling. You know, seeing the person you think is the love of your life get kidnapped by the guy who fucked your life over really sobers you up. 

Lance drove after them for almost forty-five minutes before they finally stopped behind probably the shiftiest apartment building he had ever seen in his life. Every window was either broken or missing. The front door was wide open and blowing free in the wind. The building was filthy and just had this disgusting feeling of dread all around it. As soon as he saw the other man get out of his car Lance got out and stormed up to his dad. Chad, Lance’s dad, was whipped around by the seemingly smaller boy. Keith watched from inside the car, attempting to free himself before Lance could get hurt.

Lance punched him in the jaw and then the gut, pushing him against the side of the car. He kneed him in the chest and pushed him to the ground with ease. He kicked him in the side of his head, causing him to fall over and become unconscious. Lance opened the car door and helped Keith out, he held him close and took him to the passenger seat of his own car. He got his pocket knife out from the console, carefully cutting the duct tape before pulling it off of him.

“Did he hurt you?” Lance whispered.

“No.” Keith murmured, his eyes were set on Lance’s bleeding knuckles. He gently grazed his fingers over them, instantly healing them. Okay-- he had no idea he could do that. Lance rested his hand on Keith’s cheek and smiled at him. 

“Are you okay?” 

“No.”

Hesitantly Lance leaned forward to kiss Keith, and he wasn’t hesitant to return the kiss. 


	6. Chapter 6

Giggly and somewhat stumbling bodies tumbled up the apartment building’s steps as they returned, Lance pressing warm kisses all over Keith’s face. Keith opened the door to the apartment as lanky arms wrapped around his middle and pressed kisses to his neck.

“Do you believe in soulmates?” Lance whispered as he pushed them inside, pulling the door quickly shut behind them.

“I do, now.” Keith whispered and dropped the keys on the side-table beside the landing. He turned and held Lance close to him, pale hands on tan arms. His gaze dropped then, the other immediately pulled him closer. “Why did I have to die before I met you?” 

“Do you think we would’ve met if you didn’t?” Lance whispered.

“Yes. My internship I applied for was in Florida.” His voice was strained. “If we were meant to be-- I would’ve got it. We would’ve met.”

Lance cupped his cheeks and kissed his forehead, just as he went to speak all of the lights turned on and flooded the apartment with a momentarily blinding brightness. Keith held Lance tighter, looking up from their embrace. God was seated in a criss-cross-apple-sauce position on Lance’s couch comfortably. 

She hopped up and smiled up at Keith. 

“What’s all this?” She asked with a skeptic grin, eyes wide and eyelashes batting.

“Nothing at all.” Keith immediately retorted, Lance watched silently. He was beyond confused. Who was she? Did Keith know her? How did she get inside? Why was Keith so calm about all this? He had so many questions already… 

“Keith.” She said firmly. “You know full well that I see  _ everything _ . So what in the actual Hell is going on between you two? Did you not listen to the rules? Was it so hard to keep your hands to yourself?” 

Scared blue eyes flickered between God and Keith before Lance finally spoke. 

“Keith,” He whispered. “What’s going on?”

Keith swallowed harshly and held Lance tighter yet. 

“Lance. This is God.” He whispered.

_ “God?!”  _ Lance spewed, nowhere near quietly one might add. 

“Yes. She’s God.” Keith hissed and lightly hit his side so he’d hush. 

“Keith.” She chewed out before striding over and taking him tightly by his collar. “What was the most important rule about sending you here?”

“D-Don’t fall in love.” He stammered. He never tripped over his words a day in his life, before now that is. 

“Are you in love with him?” She snapped, Keith looked up to Lance then back down to God.

“Yes ma’am.” He whispered. 

With a guttural groan she let go of him. “Great. Now I have to take you back with me. I hate this.” She did this a lot, accidentally sent soulmates to protect the other. Which usually sucks because the guardian angel stops protecting their assignment so they can be dead together. She hated having to tear them apart but Lance was sent an angel for a reason and was supposed to live. 

She crossed her tiny arms across her chest. 

“Say bye so we can go.” She huffed and looked away. 

“N-No.” Lance said and took a hold on Keith. “You’re not taking him from me.”

God looked up to Lance then, and mind you-- Lance didn’t see her as a tiny girl. He saw her as a largely built man, who resembled his father. His adoptive one. Tall, well-built, a beard. Kind in the eyes, gruff in the face. Not a man you want to disappoint.

“It’s my job.” She growled. “Say bye.  _ Now _ .” 

Slowly Keith turned to loosen Lance’s grip on his arm, taking his hands gently in his. He squeezed them tight and looked him in the eye. The Cuban shook his head no as Keith gathered himself. God. Less than two days and they were more in love than most couples who know each other for decades. 

“I’m sorry--” Keith began.

“Don’t be. Why are you sorry? For loving me?”

“For getting us in trouble. I’m not sorry for loving you, that would imply that I regret it. And I don’t. I could never.” Keith squeezed his hands tighter for a moment, Lance returned the squeeze. “I love you.” He whispered. “And in fifty or sixty years when you die, I’ll be right there waiting for you. I love you so much,” He kissed the tip of his nose. “Be safe.”

Lance immediately kissed him and started to cry. He didn’t want him to go, he didn’t want to wait sixty years to see him again. He needed him here. He needed him now. 

“Lance.” God said quietly. “Let go of him.” 

Reluctantly he did just that.

“Goodbye Lance.” Keith whispered, lavender eyes wet with tears that he refused to let fall.

“B-Bye Keith. I love you.” Lance whispered as Keith wiped his tears away for him. 

“I love you too.” He whispered as God took his wrist and took them back to Heaven.

Lance covered his mouth as choked sobs left him. Fuck. He felt homesick, which was odd because he didn’t want to go home. He wanted Keith. He wanted to give him that future he was talking about. He wanted to do all those things Keith never got to to do while he was alive, but with him. He wanted to be Keith’s person. He wanted to be his. He missed him so much and he had just left, but he knew it would be for the rest of his life that he missed him… 

  
  


Keith gripped his hair as they returned, pacing around the fountain of the main entrance. Tears ran down his face as he silently walked.

“Come on Kid, don’t do this to me.” God sighed. “This is Heaven, you’re supposed to be happy.”

“Well I’m not!” Keith bit out at Her. “I’m not even close to happy. I don’t want to be dead. I don’t want to be here. I want to be back on Earth, getting my fucking degree and meeting the love of my life. Apparently that’s too much to ask for.” He was spilling over his top. Tears ran down his face and eyes were puffy, red too. His hands shook as he paced back and forth. 

“I wanna go back.” He growled.

“You can’t.”

“Why not?”

“His new guardian angel will be there by the end of the week. And in that time he will forget you ever existed. I expect you to do the same about him without my help doing so.”

“What if he gets hurt or dies before they get there?” 

“Oh well then.” God shouted. “I’m done with this conversation. Move on Keith. It’s not like you actually knew him.”


	7. Chapter 7

 

It was daunting, yes. Was he scared? Definitely. Was it going it stop him? No. He refused to let it. This was the only way he’d see him again. Lance wasn’t that dumb. He knew he’d forget in sixty years, and he didn’t want to forget him. He didn’t want to forget one detail about him. His stupid mullet. His eyes that were more beautiful than any flower he had ever seen… God that was gross and sappy. So was this whole thing. Killing yourself for love? Lance always thought that was so dumb, people in movies killing themselves to be together. Now, that he was in the situation, i seemed like the only plausible option.

A gun would’ve worked the best, it would’ve been faster. Thing is, he didn’t have one. He didn’t even know how to go about getting one here in the states. Hanging yourself was slow and painful. You suffocate, and maybe if you’re lucky you snap your neck. Either way, you don’t die immediately. Overdosing? Take a nap, and don’t wake up. That sounded like the best way to Lance. 

 

Did you know men that attempt suicide are more likely to succeed than women? Men, also, usually use guns. Women usually overdose. Teenagers that are LGBT are also at a much higher risk of suicide attempt. However, in Lance’s case, none of this mattered. He didn’t care about being a statistic. He didn’t care about being another gay kid that killed themselves. No. All he cared about was seeing Keith again.

 

Amphetamine. Adderall, as it is more commonly known. Lance was prescribed it in a rather small dosage for ADHD. It’s not exactly hard to guess what happened next. 

He took the rest of his bottle, which was actually quite a bit. After doing so he lied in bed and lost consciousness. In this state he had a seizure before becoming completely comatose; and even that only lasted for a short bit before his irregular heartbeat just stopped. Lance McClain was dead. He died at 11:23 PM on May 21st. He was found by the landlord three days later who came to collect his rent. His parents were not told until a month later. His birth-dad never found out. He died a few weeks later, driving home drunk in an accident. 

 

An overwhelming warmth filled Lance’s chest as he came to. Where was he? He woke up in a field of purple lilies. In the distance was a gazebo, and even further a few buildings. He sat up and stretched his arms as decided where he’d go first. He squinted as he looked. There was a just barely visible figure in the gazebo. Pink flowers were delicately wrapped around the pillars of the entrance to it, the grass around it short and cleanly trimmed. With a soft breath Lance got up and dragged himself toward it. His heart stopped as he stepped up the three stairs that lead up to it. (Funny that their hearts still beat in heaven, huh?) The figure was leaning against one of the pillars, his hands shaking at his side.

“Keith?” Lance whispered. Immediately he whipped around, wiping wet cheeks as he turned to face the voice that came from behind him. 

“Lance.” He smiled. 

They both moved to each other, tightly embracing each other to themselves. Lance gripped his hair tightly but gently. Keith buried his face into his neck and just smiled. Tears ran down their faces quickly, this time of joy.

“Are you dead?” Keith whispered.

“Yes.” Lance said even softer. 

“Did you kill yourself?”

“Yes.”

“Was it for me?”

“Partially.” 

Keith looked up then, his cheek being cupped then. He leaned into his touch and smiled softly. “I promised I’d be here when you died, didn’t I?” 

Softly Lance kissed the shorter boy, pulling him closer still. 

 

The two, while not alive, lived then. They finally began to feel alive now that they were together. God allowed them to have what they wanted with each other, as this was Heaven after-all. Keith and Lance fell even more in love with one another and thus got married. They lived together, and while they didn’t have any kids while together, they were the happiest family anyone could ever dare to imagine.

 

Keith stood in the doorway of their now shared kitchen and watched as Lance made them breakfast for the morning. He watched him move in perfect rhythm, smiling as he hummed to himself and murmured random parts of whatever he was making to himself. He was content living like this. Alone with his husband. He smiled down to the golden band on his ring finger before moving to him and hugging him from behind, head against his shoulder blade.

“Buenos dias.” Lance whispered, his voice was still heavy with sleep. 

“Good morning.” Keith whispered and hugged his middle tighter.

“You alright?” He asked, pausing mixing ingredients to rest his arms on Keith’s. 

“I remember a song from before we came here.” He whispered, snuggling closer to him just as Lance turned to face him. “‘If your heart was full of love, could you give it up?’” He whispered and smiled. “I didn’t know what it meant until you came here. Thank you for not giving it up.”

Lance just smiled and held him tight to his chest, slowly beginning to move them. Dancing in their kitchen as Keith hummed “Not About Angels” by Birdy. Soft kisses were pressed to one another, dances were danced throughout their house, life was lived, and they were loved. They were finally loved. 


End file.
